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Serie A

Lazio coach Davide Ballardini admits he is a worried man ahead of tomorrow's Serie A clash at home to Cagliari.

Ballardini was appointed this summer in place of Delio Rossi, having guided Palermo to an eighth-place finish last season.

But the 45-year-old has not yet managed to get the best out of his side, who have picked up just two victories and 10 points from nine games.

Their last triumph was back on August 30 when they beat Chievo 2-1 in Verona and since then the Biancoceleste have collected four points.

Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Bari saw Lazio drop to 15th in the standings, level on points with opponents, and was another setback for Ballardini.

"We gave a horrible showing at Bari," he said. "We didn't play like a team, we have no ideas and we struggled physically.

"I am worried, not so much for the defeat but the manner in which it happened.

"Other times we have lost but we have played well."

Ballardini feels the club's policy to omit striker Goran Pandev and midfielder Cristian Ledesma from the squad has hindered his team.

Both players, who have made over 100 Serie A appearances for the club, have not been given any playing time since announcing this summer they wished to leave Lazio.

"This is a different team from that of last season," said Ballardini. "We have not used Pandev and Ledesma.

"There are certain decisions that are not based just on a technical choice and I have to respect that."

Lazio fans will be hoping attacking duo Tommaso Rocchi and Mauro Zarate can deliver in front of goal with the team having scored just once in their last three games.

But Ballardini knows his side face a tough challenge against his former club - he coached Cagliari as they secured their top-flight status in the 2007-08 campaign.

"It's going to be a difficult game," he said. "Cagliari showed a lot of fighting spirit against Genoa and will be looking to get continuity of results."

Cagliari travel to the Italian capital on the back of a 3-2 home triumph against Genoa in the last round.

Having suffered consecutive 2-1 losses against Chievo and Catania, Massimiliano Allegri's men made it clear their confidence had not been affected by those setbacks as they returned to winning ways courtesy of Andrea Lazzari's winner.

That result pulled put them back up to 14th in the table.

The visitors will be without injured defender Francesco Pisano but welcome back Diego Lopez, who has shaken off a muscular problem.

The hosts welcome back Roberto Baronio from suspension while Ousmane Dabo serves a one-match ban.